A Shower Might be Safer
by Paulina Ann
Summary: *COMPLETE* When Allura is late for Lion practice, Keith goes to find out why. The situation he finds is not one that he expected. My 3rd submission for the KAEX Challenge: Stuck.


**A Shower Might be Safer**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Voltron or any of its characters.

**Good Grief! Is this my third response to the 'Stuck' KAEX Challenge? I'm afraid so… **

**Rating/Setting: **Rating is T. Setting is DotU

**Author's Note:** Inspired by an episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." And no, I'm not old enough to have seen it when it originally aired. Let me know if you know the episode I'm talking about.

Tapping his fingers on his crossed arms, Keith stared at the door to Castle Control. The team was here… all but Allura. He could hear Lance behind him making excuses for the princess' tardy behavior. Still staring at the door, he called to Coran while ignoring the comments of the Red Lion pilot, "Is the princess still in her quarters?"

"As far as I know, Commander. Nanny said that Allura requested a bath this morning and after getting the bath ready, Nanny left." Coran's reply was matter-of-fact, although he was a little concerned about the commander's response to the situation.

Not bothering to look at anyone, Keith started for the door. "Lance, take over practice for today. I'm going to go have a talk with the princess."

The team just watched him for a minute.

Coran called down to them, "I'm afraid that Allura has made a bad choice. I'm sure there will be fireworks later."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Keith's irritation and anger grew the longer he walked. He had tried Allura's com several times with no response. Since Nanny had just seen her a couple of hours ago, he wasn't concerned about her safety so much as her lack of responsibility and respect for him and the team.

Pressing the chime on her door, he called, "Princess, it's Keith." He thought he heard a response, but he wasn't sure. "Princess, are you all right?" This time, he was certain he heard her but it was faint. Was she hurt? Typing in his override code, he hurried into her room. "Princess?"

"I'm in here, Keith!" came Allura's voice from the bathroom.

Rushing over to the bathroom, he asked with concern, "Are you hur-" Keith stopped in the doorway unable to finish the question.

"Really, Keith? Are you going to just stand there gawking or are you going to help me? I'm turning into a prune in this tub." Allura was red faced as she reclined in the tub that was mostly full of water and bubbles.

Keith was uncertain what to do. Allura was in the tub… what did she want him to help her with? "Umm… what do you need help with, Princess?"

If possible her face turned redder and the blush extended down her neck and onto her chest.

Gulping, he raised his eyes back to hers and felt a blush of his own in his cheeks.

"My foot, silly!"

Looking at her in confusion, he asked, "What?"

Raising a suds covered hand from the water, she pointed to her foot.

Keith followed the direction of her hand and looked at the shapely right leg of the princess that was raised out of the water. Following the length of her leg, he saw the problem. Walking a little further into the bathroom, he looked at the problem and started laughing. Allura had stuck the big toe of her right foot into the tub faucet and had been unable to pull it out. She had been sitting in the tub for awhile waiting for someone to help her get her toe unstuck.

His laughter was rewarded by a sudsy wet washcloth hitting him in the side of the head. "Hey!"

"It's not funny, Keith!"

Still laughing as he wiped bubbles off the side of his face, he said, "Well, maybe it is just a little?" Keith was rewarded by a scowl as he said, "I'll call Nanny for you," and turned to go.

"Wait, Keith! Don't! Nanny will make a really big deal of it… and well, I'm embarrassed enough without the entire castle staff knowing about." She frowned at her foot. This was really embarrassing… but then maybe it had an upside if Keith helped her get her toe free. She grew a little warm thinking about Keith touching her bare leg… in the tub…

Scratching his head, Keith said, "I don't know, Princess. You're in the tub and I'm a guy. Nanny and Coran would have a fit."

Allura had to laugh at his description of the situation. "I know. Put one of those big towels here by the side of the tub and let the water out. You can step outside and once it's drained, I'll cover myself with the towel. Then you can help me." She could see the hesitation on his face. "Pleeeeeease?"

Keith groaned as he replied, "Okay. But it I get lynched for this by Nanny, it will be all your fault." Walking over he grabbed a fluffy towel and dropped it by the tub. Leaning over, he flipped the switch to let the water out and then hurried from the bathroom without looking back.

"Thanks, Keith!" she called to his quickly retreating back.

Leaning against the wall in the main suite, he asked himself, '_What am I doing? She'll be nude… in the tub… while I'm touching her bare leg… what the devil have I gotten myself into?_'

Just a few minutes later, Allura called out, "Okay, I'm covered up."

'_Heaven help me,_' Keith thought as he walked back into the bathroom. Trying to keep his eyes only on her foot and the faucet, he moved to the side of the tub. He knelt down and realized too late that Allura had splashed quite a bit of water from the tub when she had tried to free herself. Sighing, as he looked at the wet spots on his knees, he turned back to the task.

Keith gently reached out and touched her foot. Allura immediately giggled. He frowned at her as he said with some exasperation, "I have to touch your foot to get your toe out."

Allura giggled some more as he tightened his hold on her foot. "I know!" Giggle. "I just… can't help it… I'm ticklish!" Gasping for air, she got out, "I'll try not to giggle very much." Giggle.

Rolling his eyes, Keith looked back to her foot and thought, '_If anyone comes in and finds me in her bathroom with her giggling, I'm done for._' Pulling gently on her foot, he found that the toe didn't want to come out.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, Princess, it's pushed in pretty far and I'm having trouble pulling it out." As soon as the words left his mouth, he thought, '_What the hell did I just say?_' He was glad that she couldn't see the blush on his face.

A variety of unintentional innuendo laden comments went back and forth between them. After Keith mentioned getting soap to lubricate her toe, he just closed his eyes and thought, '_Just shoot me now._' "He groaned at himself as he stood to get the soap. The sooner he was done in here the better. He was treading on dangerous ground.

Squirting the floral scented soap on her foot and then his hands, he began rubbing her foot and toes around the faucet. The motion caused more giggles to erupt from the princess. After a minute or so, Keith thought he detected a slight movement from the toe. "I think it may finally – Whoooooa!"

The toe had suddenly come free. Keith was unbalanced and reached to brace himself on the far side of the tub but with his soapy hands, he didn't have a chance. Falling unceremoniously into the tub with Allura, he found himself face down between her calves. Most of body was pressed against hers. He could only hope he didn't kick her in the face as fell in. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he asked, "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

Allura had avoided Keith's feet as he fell in and now she was rewarded with the sight of him in her tub. With the way he toppled over, her hand had landed on his butt. She was quite okay. "I'm fine, Keith. Are you all right?"

He was afraid to move for fear of hurting her. "I'm okay, I might have a few bruises that will be tough to explain, but I'm okay. Can you help me move my legs so that I'm sure I won't hurt you?"

"Sure." After she moved his legs over, he pushed himself up further so that she could pull her own legs from under him. "I think it might be easier if I get out first, Keith."

"Sounds like a great idea to me." He waited as he felt her move around and then she said he could get up.

Standing up, he looked at himself. How was he supposed to go out in the hall looking like this? Between the water on the floor and then the soap and falling in the tub, he was rather wet and sudsy himself. Hearing a feminine giggle, he looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I think I better get ready for that lynching."

Two pairs of laughing eyes suddenly grew wide as they heard the door to the chamber open.

"Princess? Where are you?" Nanny's voice rang from the other room.

As Keith and Allura looked at each other, they knew that a lynching would be an easier way to die than what would happen if Nanny found them.

Holding her towel with one hand, Allura grabbed Keith by the front of his uniform with the other. Pulling him quickly into the separate walk-in shower, she softly closed the door and pressed him into the corner. The color of her hair, skin and white towel would not show up as much through the frosted glass as the tiles were a pale peach. Keith's hair and uniform stood out vividly against the tile, so she covered him with her own body as much as possible.

Keith closed his eyes as he felt her push against him. She was only wearing a towel for heaven's sakes. He was going to whisper something when she looked up at him and pressed two fingers against his lips to stop him. It was like electrical current. His eyes locked with her.

The moment was broken as Nanny came into the bathroom and began fussing about the mess. Gathering up the wet towels she threw them in the hamper and then left muttering about getting a maid to come in later.

Keith and Allura knew she was gone, but they remained pressed close in the corner of the shower. He looked down in her vivid blue eyes and knew it would be easy… oh, so easy, to just kiss her lips. But they were in her shower with fear of detection at any time. He looked longingly at her lips one more time before saying, "I really need to get changed before someone sees me." He could see the disappointment in her eyes. Unable to stand it, he ran a finger along her lips and softly said, "This isn't the time or place." Then he moved from the wall and exited the shower. "I'll see you at lunch."

Allura turned and leaned against the shower wall. She heard the door to her chamber open and close. He said this wasn't the time or place… which means he thinks there is a time and place… Smiling to herself she remembered the feel of his hands on her bare skin and how his body felt pressed to hers. Tossing the towel out onto the bathroom floor she decided it was time for a cold shower.


End file.
